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Environment

The Cayman Islands are located in the western Caribbean Sea. The largest, called Grand Cayman, is situated northwest of Jamaica, The sister islands, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac, lie about 130 km northeast of Grand Cayman. All three islands were formed by large coral heads.

Peoples

Main languages: English

Main religions: Christianity

The majority of the population is of mixed ethnicity. There is a substantial Afro-Caribbean migrant workforce, drawn from Haiti, Jamaica and other islands. Strong family and cultural ties dating back to the early colonial period also exist between the Cayman Islands and residents of English-speaking enclaves on the Caribbean Coast of Central America.

History

The Cayman Islands were so called by the British privateer Sir Francis Drake, who landed in 1586 and named them after the indigenous Arawak-Taíno resident's word for crocodile (caiman).

The islands, along with nearby Jamaica, were ceded to England in 1670 under the Treaty of Madrid and were governed as a single colony along with Jamaica. When Jamaica became independent and joined the Commonwealth in 1962, the Cayman Islands remained a separate British overseas territory.

In 1994 and 1995 the islands were involved in the Cuban refugee crisis, when several thousand Cubans arrived in search of political asylum. Most were sent on to the US military base in Guantánamo, Cuba, while some were granted political asylum.

Governance

As a British overseas territory the Cayman Islands have an appointed governor who represents the monarch. The Governor has the power to veto any law passed by the 15-seat Legislative Assembly which is popularly elected every four years. The territory is run by a five member cabinet, and the civil service falls under the jurisdiction of the chief secretary, who also serves as acting governor when required.

The Cayman Islands enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world. The per capita income (2004) is estimated at US$35,000. The islands' main sources of income are offshore financial services and tourism, which have replaced traditional turtle fishing and agriculture. With over 70,000 incorporated companies and 500 banks, the territory is known as one of the largest tax havens in the world.

Current state of minorities and indigenous peoples

In light of the robust economy, there have been calls for increasing the number of work permits allocated to Spanish speaking workers from Caribbean and Central American countries.